Plans Coming Together

Were you a fan of the A-Team TV show of the 1980's? As I write this post I can hear the theme song in my head. Do you hear it, too? The leader of this rag-tag bunch of Vietnam Veterans was John "Hannibal" Smith played by George Peppard. At the end of their crazy adventures he'd get his cigar out, light it and say, "I love it when a plan comes together." Their plans didn't always seem very wise or and were pretty far-fetched but their plans always came together.

The problem with our lives is they aren't scripted and can't be neatly fixed in a 30-minute or one hour time slot. So how do we ever get to celebrate plans coming together? We've all seen plans go completely up in flames. How do we see some plans come together as we get started with 2017?

1. Make plans

"if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail." Benjamin Franklin

The Bible says in Proverbs, "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." Proverbs 16:3

Have you made any plans? Have you written them down? I joked as I was preaching up in Minnesota that I don't write down my plans, because then no one can hold me to them. Although I was joking there is some truth to this. If I make plans then I must get busy to do them. You've go to start with making a plan. So let's think about what it means to commit what I do to God. Why would God even bother to make my plans succeed.

2. Make plans that are in submission to God

James 4:15 reminds us that instead of just going ahead and making plans we should say, "if it is the Lord's will." This little statement submits our plans to the will of God. We should make plans, but we should always preface them with this statement. This give us flexibility for God to move. You may have a good plan, but God may have a much better one.

3. Make plans that bring glory to God.

Our main objective on this planet according to Jesus in Matthew five is to be "the light of the world." This means that we are to bring glory to God. If we are making plans that are only there to benefit us then our plans are not good enough. Our plans must ultimately be to glorify God. If are making plans for more education or a better job how are these plans going to bring glory to God? How are your plans going to make God look good in your life to others? These are questions you need to answer when it comes to your plans.

4. Share your plans with other people.

I know that if I keep my plans to myself I will not follow through. I need support and I need accountability. I need someone in my life who will ask how I'm doing. If I plan to lose weight, pay off some debt, or exercise daily I need someone and maybe many someones to ask me how I'm doing and challenge me in my plans.

The words "one-another" in the Bible are actually one Greek word, allelon. It's pronounced, ah-LAY-loan. It's used 100 times in 94 verses in the Bible. It's all about our relationships with other believers. We need to share our lives, including our plans, with other believers.

Tonight I'll gather with other friends in a small group we host in our home. We are going over this tonight and one of the things I'm going to stress is sharing our plans with other people. If you keep this to yourself chances are you'll never accomplish them. Make plans, submit them to God, glorify God with these plans, and share them with others. This is a good formula for having some plans come together in 2017.